Swimming and Diving Battle with Boston College

After a month-long break from dual competition and
over two months on the road, the Canisius College men's and women's swimming
and diving teams returned to the Koessler Athletic Center Pool to face Boston
College on Friday morning. In the dual, both the Canisius men and women squads
fell to Boston College, 162-138, and 184-113, respectively. In the dual, a
total of 11 pool records were set between the Golden Griffins and the visiting
Eagles.

"We competed. To have an ACC team here and be able
to race and compete against is great. By no means, did we back down. We raced,"
said head coach Scott Vanderzell.
"On the women's side, the score might not show how close a lot of those races
were but our girls battled. The men battled as well."

For the Golden Griffin women, freshman Marissa Oakey set three records,
including a pair of pool records in the 1000 (10:42.99) and 1650 (17:52.74) freestyle
and the program record in the 1650 freestyle. Junior Matt Moessinger set the pool record in the 100 butterfly (52.23) and
was part of the pool record-setting 400 medley relay team.

In the first event of the day for the Golden
Griffin men, the 400-medley relay team of senior Steve Pochatko, and juniors Tyler
Carver, Moessinger, and Shawn
Parkhurst set the pool record in their first-place finish in 3:33.30. Each
member of the 400-medley relay team also succeeded individually, taking
capturing first place in at least one event for the Golden Griffins.

After the relay win, Canisius kept the momentum
rolling, as freshman Sam Hansen
finished first in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:13.42.

Following a Boston College sweep in the 200
freestyle, the Golden Griffins' men grabbed first-place in the next three
races. Pochatko started the string of wins by taking home the top spot in the
100 backstroke in 53.22. Carver would finish first in the 100 breastroke with a
time of 1:00.69 followed by Parkhurst's and Moessinger's one-two finish in the
200 butterfly, which Parkhurst broke the pool record in 1:55.13. On the day,
Parkhurst would also place first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:48.10.

In the 3-meter diving event, sophomores Jake (213.95) and Joel Kowalski (182.70), and freshman Eddie Quarantillo (256.95) each recorded personal bests, including
a second-place finish by Quarantillo and third-place finish by Jake Kowlaski.
Quarantillo (265.05) also posted a personal-best in his second-place finish in
the 1-meter event, while Joel Kowalski recorded a personal-best in his
third-place finish (213.15).

On the women's side, Oakey recorded the Golden
Griffins first top-finish of the morning in the 1000 freestyle, finishing in
10:42.99 with a 15 second lead ahead of second-place finisher Cailtin Molloy of
Boston College. With determination, Oakey completed the 1650 freestyle in
17:52.74, setting the program and pool record in the event. The freshman would
also record a top-finish in the 100 freestyle in 54.72.

Sophomore Kelli
Graber placed first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.62.

The dual marked the first time in program history
that the Golden Griffins faced an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in the
Boston College Eagles.

The Golden Griffins will remain at home on Saturday
afternoon when both squads return to action at the Koessler Athletic Center
Pool with diving beginning at noon. The Canisius men will face Gannon
University in a dual, while the women will host Gannon Univeristy and MAAC
Opponent Siena.